The present invention generally relates to vehicle seats for automotive vehicles. More particularly, the present invention pertains to a step-wise seat adjuster for automotive vehicle seats adjusting the lengthwise directional position of the seat.
A known type of step-wise seat adjuster is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Registration Publication or Kokai Koho No. Hei.7-8055 published on Feb. 3, 1995. In this known step-wise seat adjuster, each stationary lower guide and movable upper guide rail is formed of a light-weight material such as aluminum. A plurality of locking openings are formed in the stationary lower guide rail such that one of the openings is brought into engagement with a lock mechanism for restricting the movement of the movable upper guide rail relative to the stationary lower guide rail.
However, in this known step-wise seat adjuster, the stationary lower guide rail is produced through aluminum extrusion. As a result, the locking openings cannot be formed concurrently with the aluminum extrusion of the lower rail. In addition, each of the locking openings is formed in the lateral side of the lower guide rail which includes slope surfaces and is placed between a pair of vertically spaced side surfaces which are formed at the slope surfaces, receptively. Thus, the side surfaces are not coplanar with each other. This makes it virtually impossible to form the lower guide rails by stamping which is a very inexpensive operation.
Thus, a need exists for an improved step-wise adjuster for automotive vehicle seats that is not as susceptible to the drawbacks and disadvantages discussed above.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a step-wise seat adjuster for automotive vehicles includes a stationary lower guide rail adapted to be mounted to a vehicle floor, and a movable upper guide rail adapted to be mounted to a vehicle seat and capable of lengthwise sliding movement relative to the stationary lower guide rail. Either the stationary lower guide rail or the movable upper guide rail have a lateral side portion in which are formed a plurality of regularly spaced openings. Each of the openings is surrounded by a pair of vertically spaced co-planar surfaces extending in the vertical direction and a pair of parallel spaced surfaces which are opposed with each other in the lengthwise direction. A lock mechanism is adapted to releasably engage one of the plurality of regularly spaced openings to restrict the movement of the movable upper guide rail relative to the stationary lower guide rail.
The plural openings can advantageously be formed simultaneously through an inexpensive method using a punch and dies which carry out a shearing action.
According to another aspect of the invention, a step-wise seat adjuster for automotive vehicles includes a stationary lower guide rail adapted to be mounted to a vehicle floor, and a movable upper guide rail adapted to be mounted to a vehicle seat and capable of lengthwise sliding movement relative to the stationary lower guide rail. Either the stationary lower guide rail or the movable upper guide rail have a lateral side portion in which are formed a plurality of spaced apart openings. Each of the openings is defined by a plurality of surfaces including a pair of first surfaces facing in the same direction and a pair of second surfaces positioned in opposing relation to face one another. A lock mechanism is adapted to releasably engage one of the plurality of spaced openings to restrict movement of the movable upper guide rail relative to the stationary lower guide rail.
Another aspect of the present invention involves a step-wise seat adjuster for automotive vehicles includes a stationary lower guide rail adapted to be mounted to a vehicle floor, and a movable upper guide rail adapted to be mounted to a vehicle seat and capable of lengthwise sliding movement relative to the stationary lower guide rail. Either the stationary lower guide rail or the movable upper guide rail have a lateral side portion in which are formed a plurality of spaced apart openings. Each of the openings is defined by a plurality of surfaces including a pair of first surfaces positioned along opposite sides of the opening and a pair of second surfaces positioned along opposite sides of the opening, with the second sides being located laterally outwardly relative to the first surfaces. A lock mechanism is adapted to releasably engage one of the plurality of spaced openings to restrict movement of the movable upper guide rail relative to the stationary lower guide rail.